The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-144887 filed on May 17, 2000, including specification, claims, drawings and summary is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing press having movable members, such as a cover and a plate-replacing device, disposed around printing means, such as various cylinders and an inking unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a printing press, in order to enable maintenance or inspection of printing means, such as various cylinders and an inking unit, a cover, a plate-replacing device, and like members are movably disposed around the printing means such that an open space can be established around the printing means. These movable members are very heavy and require considerable labor in moving the same.
Means for facilitating the above movement is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 4-284252. Specifically, a base end portion of an L-shaped arm is rotatably connected to the upper end of a frame of a printing press. An upper end portion of a vertical bar of a safety cover is rotatably connected to a distal end portion of the arm. The base end portion of the arm is rotated by means of a hydraulic cylinder to thereby raise the safety cover in a vertical condition. In this manner, the safety cover can be moved easily.
In the printing press disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 4-284252, however, the safety cover is raised while being maintained in a vertical condition. Thus, an open space cannot be established around upper printing means, such as an inking unit and a dampening unit and therefor, there is a difficulty in maintaining or inspecting the upper printing means.
In view of the foregoing problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing press which facilitates movement of movable members over a wide range.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing press comprising a first movable member swingably supported by a main frame such that the first movable member can move between a first position and a second position; a second movable member swingably supported by the first movable member such that the second movable member can move between a third position and a fourth position; force application means for applying a force to the second movable member towards the fourth position; and connection means disposed between the second movable member and the force application means, adapted to connect the second movable member and the force application means when the second movable member moves between the third position and the fourth position, and adapted to disconnect the second movable member and the force application means from each other when the first movable member moves between the first position and the second position.
The printing press may comprise a swing member swingably provided on the main frame such that the swing member can move between a fifth position and a sixth position while establishing a connection between the connection means and the force application means.
In the printing press, the connection means may comprise an engagement member having an engagement groove; and an engagement pin which is engaged with the engagement groove of the engagement member.
In the printing press, the engagement pin may be attached to the second movable member, and the engagement member is attached to the swing member; and the engagement groove of the engagement member may be formed in such a manner that, when the swing member is situated at the sixth position, the engagement groove opens toward a moving direction of the first movable member from the first position to the second position.
In the printing press, the engagement pin may be attached to the swing member, and the engagement member is attached to the second movable member; and the engagement groove of the engagement member may be formed in such a manner that, when the swing member is situated at the sixth position, the engagement groove opens toward a moving direction of the first movable member from the second position to the first position.
In the printing press, the second movable member may comprise plate-replacing means for at least one of mounting of a plate onto a plate cylinder and demounting of a plate from the plate cylinder.
The printing press may comprise a first connection member provided on one of the main frame and the first movable member; and a connection pin provided on the other of the main frame and the first movable member, the connection pin being disengageably engaged with the first connection member to restrict swinging of the first movable member relative to the main frame.
The printing press may comprise a second connection member provided on one of the main frame and the second movable member; and a connection device provided on the other of the main frame and the second movable member, the connection device being disengageably engaged with the second connection member to restrict swinging of the second movable member relative to the main frame.
The printing press may comprise a support plate whose base end side is swingably connected to one of the first movable member and the second movable member, and which has an engagement hole formed at a distal end side; a connection device provided on the other of the first movable member and the second movable member, the connection device being disengageably engaged with the engagement hole of the support member to restrict swinging of the second movable member relative to the first movable member.
The printing press may comprise first connection means provided on the main frame; a support plate whose base end side is swingably connected to the first movable member, and which has second connection means at a distal end side; and third connection means provided on the second movable member, the third connection means being selectively connectable with the first connection means and the second connection means, wherein the third connection means and the first connection means are connected to each other to restrict swinging of the second movable member relative to the main frame, and the third connection means and the second connection means are connected to each other to restrict swinging of the second movable member relative to the first movable member.